Retiring in New Zealand

Are you one of our overseas readers who would like to retire in New Zealand?

If you are, the good news is that it’s possible. The bad news is that most people won’t qualify.

The criteria for retiring here can’t be written down simply in just a few lines; remember, the rules were written by government lawyers.

Since, thankfully, we’re not a government department, we’ll begin by making precisely the simplifications they won’t – but regardless of whether these simplifications make you smile or wince, if you’re serious about retiring here, you’ve GOT to read the small print.

3. You obtain permanent residence – you might achieve this, for example, as a skilled worker. People have obtained residence while in their 50s with a view to working here for a few years, then retiring.

Okay, that was the simple version.

If your only possible route is the third option, you’re now finished with this page. You need to look at the usual immigration channels, such as the Skilled Migrant Category.

Now there are just two options left. And we need to start going into more detail, so hang in there.

The Less Simple Version:

1. Temporary Retirement Category (plenty of money needed)

This is a two year visitor visa which is renewable. The main requirement is money, starting with the NZ$3,200 application fee.

If you apply for this visa, you must fulfill all of the following before you can be approved:

• be aged 66 years or over;

• invest NZ$0.75 million in New Zealand for two years, in an acceptable investment (see later under “Investment Details” for what qualifies as an acceptable investment);

• demonstrate ownership of NZ$0.5 million of maintenance funds and an annual income of NZ$60,000 at the time you apply;

If you succeed, you’ll be issued with a two year multiple entry visitor’s visa/permit which allows you to stay for two years, and travel in and out of New Zealand during that time.

You can re-apply for another visitor’s permit/visa under this category if you:

• continue to meet all the requirements above; and

• can demonstrate that you have maintained your travel and/or health insurance and your investment funds in an acceptable investment during the two year duration of your stay.

You may include your partner in your application. Dependent children cannot be included. You are not able to work on this visa.

2. Parent Categories

If you have grown-up children living in New Zealand there are, somewhat confusingly, two different visas you could try for. These are The Parent Retirement Category and The Parent Category. We’ll consider these in turn.

The Parent Retirement Category – Plenty of Money Needed

A successful application allows you live permanently in New Zealand. To qualify in this category you must:

• Have an adult child who lives legally in New Zealand as a citizen or permanent resident, and

• Have no dependent children, and

• Invest NZ$1 million in an acceptable investment for at least four years – to find out what these are, see below under “Investment Details”, and

• Have NZ$0.5 million of settlement funds, and

• Have a minimum annual income of $60,000 when you apply, and

• Have good health, and

• Be of good character

About 3,600 places are available each year in this category.

The (Family) Parent Category

This is a permanent residence visa for parents of New Zealand citizens/residents who would like to join their children in New Zealand.

You need to be sponsored by an adult child who lives in New Zealand as a citizen or has lived in NZ for at least three years as a permanent resident.

You need to have an acceptable command of English – this means you need to pass at least two competencies of IELTS at Level 4 – or buy English language tuition.

The Parent Category visa operates on an expression of interest (EOI) basis. EOI’s go into a pool and there is a pool draw every three months.

Applicants must have no dependent children and must qualify as Tier One or Tier Two applicants.

Between July 2014 to 30 June 2016 there are 8,180 places available for approvals under this Parent Category.

Tier One Parents

Tier One applicants are given priority.

These applicants must:

• have a guaranteed lifetime minimum income of NZ$27,682 a year for a single person or NZ$$40,688 a year for a couple, or

• bring at least NZ$500,000 in settlement funds to New Zealand, or

• have a sponsoring adult child who has an annual income of at least NZ$65,000, or NZ$90,000 when combined with their partner’s income.

Just to be clear: Tier One applicants DON’T have to pass a “centre of gravity” test.

The time taken to process this visa is estimated at 18 months.

Tier Two Parents

Tier Two applicants must:

• Have a sponsoring adult child who has an income of at least NZ$33,675 a year, and

• Any other children the applicant has must live outside the country in which the applicant lives. This is the “centre of gravity” test.

The time taken to process this visa is estimated at up to 7 years.

It’s a sobering point, but as of May 2016, there have never been any successful Tier 2 applicants.

Investment Details

Click the arrow to reveal which investments are acceptable for the Parent Retirement Category

An acceptable investment for the Parent Retirement Category:

1. is in one or more of the following:

• bonds issued by the New Zealand government or local authorities, or

• bonds issued by New Zealand firms traded on the New Zealand Debt Securities Market (NZDX), or

• bonds issued by New Zealand firms with at least a BBB- or equivalent rating from internationally recognised credit rating agencies (for example, Standard and Poor’s), or

• equity in New Zealand firms (public or private), including managed funds, or

• bonds issued by New Zealand registered banks, or

• equities in New Zealand registered banks, or

• residential property development(s), or

• bonds in finance companies.

and:

2. is capable of a commercial return under normal circumstances and has the potential to contribute to New Zealand’s economy, and

3. is invested in New Zealand in New Zealand currency, and

4. has the potential to contribute to New Zealand’s economy, and

5. is invested in lawful enterprises or managed funds that comply with all relevant laws in force in New Zealand, and

6. is not for the personal use of the applicant(s).

Okay, I’ve got that. I think I can get in. Will the New Zealand Government give me a pension?

Compared with most countries, the NZ Government is quite generous in terms of how little you need to do to qualify for a pension.

Superannuation Criteria

If you do become a permanent resident of New Zealand, the following applies:

• In order to qualify for New Zealand superannuation (a pension paid by the government) you must have lived in New Zealand legally for at least 10 years since you turned 20. Five of these years must be since you turned 50.

• Time spent overseas in certain countries may be counted for New Zealand Superannuation – New Zealand has social security agreements with Australia, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Jersey/Guernsey, The Netherlands and The United Kingdom.

• People from the UK, for example, can use time spent in the UK (UK National Insurance payments) to qualify for New Zealand Superannuation.

• Superannuation is currently worth $23058.36 gross a year if you’re single or $17458.84 gross for each person in a married/civil union/de facto couple. (Figures for the 2016 – 2017 tax year. Check the lifestyle you’ll be able to afford with your retirement income.)

Comments

Hi , Both wife and i were born in NZ ,moved to Australia in 1968 Have now both retired in Aust and on pension paid from Aust centralink and part from nz. What is the situation if we were to move back to nz re pension .Also hold Australian citizianship.

Both my wife and myself were born in nz , moved to Australia in 1986,have now retired and on pension paid from Australia centrelink and part from nz. What is the situation if we were to move back to nz ,re pension payments.also have Australia citizanship. aged 66 years my wife 69 years. Thanking you await your comments.

‘If you intend to return to New Zealand to live, please contact Senior Services – International as soon as possible to find out how your payments will change.’ From Australia their phone no is 1800 150 479

There is a social security agreement between Australia and New Zealand. Under this agreement the total amount of NZ Super and Age Pension you receive will generally be similar to the amount of pension you would have received if you had spent all your life in New Zealand.

Hello, I am wondering if I qualify for a NZ old age pension at age 65. My situation will be the following: Receiving a Australian Defence Force Death and Retirements Benefit of approximately $Aust 20000 per annum, recieving rental income of $Aust 10000 per annum in Australia. Recieving a Department of Veteran Affairs disability pension of $Aust 5500 pa. Will I be able to recieve the pension at age 65 if I was to immigrate to NZ on turning 65? Will the monies received in Australia affect or cut into the NZ old age pension. I have lived in Australia since birth in 1955? My intention is the purchase a home in which to live in NZ, but will travel overseas extensively each year when its winter in NZ. Is there a qualifying period I must complete as a resident of NZ beforehand? Thanks

Australians moving to New Zealand will generally qualify for a NZ Super pension as there is a social security agreement between the two countries. Time spent in Australia and the UK will ‘count’ towards the number of NZ resident years required to qualify for NZ Super.

To qualify for NZ Super you must have been resident and present in New Zealand for more than 10 years since the age of 20 with five years since the age of 50 (you can use time spent living in Australia or UK to count towards this)

NZ Super is not asset or means tested but social security pensions from other countries may affect the payments.

Work and Income have a Senior Services International team that you can contact by phone from Australia on 1800 150 479 to advise you further.

I and wife are both 60. We’re semi-retired Australian citizens, with a reasonable private superannuation. We’re considering retiring to NZ in a year or two. We most likely won’t need a government pensions. What’re our options?

I am an Australian citizen born in the UK. I am 59 and have lived in Australia since I was 3. My husband was born in NZ he is 63 and has worked and lived in Australia since he was 25. We would like to relocate to NZ in retirement and buy a house. We have super and we will qualify for the Australian pension. My husband has a lot of family in NZ including a daughter. Regards Sue

what is the longest period of time an american can stay in new zealand? would it be possible tonstay 6 months at a time. we have the finances and would rent. we have a home in canada and the us and do enjoy new zealand. how long and how often would we be allowed to stay. thank you s lee curtis

We have a son living in New Zealand and has permanent residency and a daughter living in Australia and no other dependants in the UK. We are due to retire in 8 years and would like to move to NZ to live with our son and family. When is the best time for us to apply for a parental retirement category visa? Looking at the information given we think we would be eligible for both tiers

Depending on your and your father’s circumstances, it certainly is possible but without more details it’s not possible to say any more.

A number of our forum members have been successful in obtaining parent visas and it’s a great place to talk about your options with people who have negotiated the process successfully. Here’s the forum link.

Iam a New Zealand citizen of 68 in receipt of a UK State Pension but I intend to retire to New Zealand . I have more than the 10 years residency in New Zealand to qualify for New Zealand Superannuation but have resided and worked in Abu Dhabi since the age of 50. Is it possible to exchange the UK State Pension for New Zealand Superannuation on returning to New Zealand.? The other option is to have the UK State Pension paid in New Zealand for 5 years until I have qualified for New Zealand Superannuation.

’If you reside in New Zealand or intend to, you may qualify for benefits or pensions from both the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

If you are paid a New Zealand benefit or pension, you must apply for any United Kingdom benefit or pension that you may be able to receive. You must also apply for any other overseas benefit or pension that you may be able to receive.

The combined amount of your New Zealand and overseas pension payments receive will be similar to the amount you would have been paid if you spent all your life in New Zealand.

Can I receive New Zealand Superannuation?

You may be able to receive New Zealand Superannuation if you have resided in the United Kingdom and: • you meet the New Zealand criteria for New Zealand Superannuation • you have been resident and present in New Zealand for more than 10 years since the age of 20 with five years since the age of 50 (your periods of United Kingdom residence and/or contributions may be able to be used for this) • you are ordinarily resident in New Zealand when you apply • you have been granted permanent residence in New Zealand by Immigration New Zealand, or you have New Zealand citizenship • you intend to reside in New Zealand • you are 65 or over.’

My parents have been back to NZ many times & even for work stints (self employed), owned property ect.

Now at age 57 & having worked here in Australia all my working life except for a stint working in Queenstown NZ- Mum (aged 83) & I wish to move ‘back home’ to NZ. I will be working when I get back there.

Is my Mum entitled to the NZ pension? she is currently a recipient of a Veteran Affairs Pension (white card) Dad was in the NZ army.

There is a social security agreement between Australia and New Zealand which says:

‘If you live in New Zealand or intend to, you may qualify for a benefit or pension from both New Zealand and Australia.

Once your applications are processed, you may be paid benefits or pensions made up of payments from both New Zealand and Australia eg what you are paid may be made up of an Australian Age Pension and a New Zealand Superannuation payment.

When this happens the total amount you receive will generally be similar to the amount you would have received if you had spent all your life in New Zealand.’

You can contact Work and Income Senior Services International on 1800 150 479 who are able to advise you in detail on your entitlements if you were to return to New Zealand.

I worked full-time as a teacher in NZ in 1974 and am trying to determine whether I have any pension or superannuation entitlements from that time. I know that any such entitlements will be small, but small amounts add up!

Hello, I am looking into weather or not my wife and I will receive the NZ pension. I am a 44 year old NZ citizen currently living in the USA. I left NZ when I was 30 and am married to a 46 year old USA citizen. We are planning to eventually move to NZ and weather we do or do not qualify for the NZ pension will have an affect on when (or if at all) we move to NZ.

There is currently no social security arrangement with the USA and New Zealand so you’ll need to meet the standard rules for getting a New Zealand benefit or pension. These are: You may be able to get New Zealand Superannuation if you: • are aged 65 or over • are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident • normally live in New Zealand at the time you apply.

You must also have lived in New Zealand for at least 10 years since you turned 20. Five of those years must be since you turned 50.

You did not say whether you are a US citizen. If not, then I recommend you become one. If you are a US citizen, you will be eligible to receive your US Social Security retirement benefit paid direct to you in NZ. Check out what that looks to be in $$. It may well be much larger than the NZ pension, and you can just not bother. US Social Security payments are not taxed in NZ.

But you cannot manage to get the US Social Security AND the NZ pension both. That.just.won’t.happen.

My wife is a native-born Kiwi, and she got me permanent residence as a family member. You can do that for your wife, too. Much easier than the other options for older folks to move to NZ.

Hi, I am a 44 year old dual citizen with NZ and USA, living in the USA, that worked in NZ until 2008. I am considering whether it is actually worth come back for 5 years to qualify. Can someone elaborate on what you mean you can’t get both pensions ? ie If retiring in NZ, does NZ benefit get reduced by Social Security payments ?

Also, if I have 401k earnings, USA taxes it as is tax exempt there, but will I also be taxed in NZ countries on that as income ?

If retiring in USA, it seems the formula for NZ payments is changed to be weighted by number of weeks between age 25 and 65 that you were in NZ. In my case about just over half (if you account for the 5 more years after 50 to go) So my understanding is that just becomes taxable income in the USA, so in that case can double-dip and get most of that in retire in the USA – is this correct ? Note: I don’t know how much Social Security I would get currently, as they don’t tell you until you’ve contributed 10 years (i.e. 2018 for me)

I am no true expert, but my understanding of NZ superannuation law is that if one is entitled to a pension from outside NZ, that pension MUST be applied for, and its value is deducted from the NZ pension. (In some circumstances the NZ payment is reduced, in some circumstances the foreign pension is reassigned to the NZ government and you get the full NZ pension.) That applies for a couple if EITHER of them gets a foreign pension. So far as I know, there is no way to get NZ superannuation payments outside of NZ.

I retired to NZ from the US. My Social Security is roughly the same as NZ Superannuation, and my wife’s Social Security is additional. I don’t want to give that up to receive NZ Super, so I won’t ask for it.

Perhaps the SSA has changed things recently. Before I retired and began to collect Social Security, I received a notice each year from them which told me how much I would get based on current contributions, and an estimate of how that would change going forward. Do they not do that anymore?

On the IRD site is says that USA Social Security is NOT taxable in NZ, and doesn’t have to be declared on your tax return. To me this means it is tax exempt, and I can possibly collect both retirements without penalty – this seems to be the opposite of what you said ?

Yes, US Social Security is NOT taxable in NZ (a fact that completely boggles my mind, given how aggressive the IRD is to tax everything in sight). However, the laws that govern the collection of NZ and foreign pensions are not the tax laws, and those rules are administered by a different branch of the government. So, non-taxability does not imply you can receive both. Pick the larger.

I am an Australian citizen and will retire shortly. I will be eligible for the full Australian Old Age Pension. I already own land (section) in New Zealand and hope to build and retire there. What are the criterion for Australian citizens wishing to retire to New Zealand? Can I bring my full Australian pension with me once I start receiving here while in Australia? Are character references required?

There is a social security agreement between Australia and New Zealand. Usually the total amount of pension you will receive will be similar to the amount you would have received if you had spent all your life in New Zealand.

Once your applications are processed, you may be paid benefits or pensions made up of payments from both New Zealand and Australia.

Centrelink in Australia decides who can receive an Australian benefit or pension in New Zealand and how much can be paid.

To enter New Zealand you will need to be of ‘good character’. No references are required but you will need to sign a declaration that you are of good character on your arrival card when you enter New Zealand.

I am a British citizen and have worked just over 2 years in New Zealand. My UK pension manager has reccomended me to inquire what New Zealand pension entilement do I have. I still have a savings bank account with New Zealand Bank. Worked from July 2002 – September 2004 as a RN, New Zealand

I am a UK national looking to retire to NZ in approx. 7 years time. I am fairly certain I could qualify for a parental visa sponsored by my son who has lived in NZ for 5 years. I have consequently submitted an EOI form under tier 1. Should I be invited to sumit a visa request is their any time limits regarding when I must use this visa and reside permentantly in NZ ? I have applied early as I wish to buy a property in NZ prior to retirement.

You could ask in our forum as several of our members have gone through the parent visa process recently and they will probably have the most up to date information.

Alternatively you could contact NZ immigration directly.

There are no restrictions on non-residents purchasing a standard residential property in New Zealand. The only exception is if the property is classified as being “sensitive land” and this may be the case for some farms, lifestyle properties or waterfront homes.

Hello, My inquiry is based around my mother who at 84 years young may wish / has expressed a desire to move back to NZ. My Father ( deceased ) and My Mother immigrated to NZ from The UK in 1964/5 and were granted citizenship to NZ. They were respectively 35 and 36 years old. They both worked , up until 1984/85 when they moved to Australia to live. After a short time of working ,for themselves, they were granted Australian citizen ship. I am unsure whether they surrendered the NZ citizenship or not,but I expect this was so.

My Mother receives a DVA pension , because my father served in Korea with the UK armed forces and gets a small supplementary pension from the UK as part of her income. Would my Mother be eligible for any sort of pension under current legislation in NZ with any / if any bipartisan agreement as her situation is as described with her Australian situation , if she chose to move back and live her days out , with support from surviving family?

New Zealand has a reciprocal social security pension agreement with Australia.

In general terms this means that the total amount state pension you receive will generally be similar to the amount of NZ Super you would have received if you had spent all your life in New Zealand.

Here are the general rules to receive a NZ Super pension from Work and Income:

‘Can I receive New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran’s Pension? You may qualify for either of these in New Zealand if you have lived in Australia and/or New Zealand and: • you are 65 or over • you qualify for the Australian Age Pension • you are in New Zealand when you apply • you intend to remain in New Zealand for at least one year or have lived in New Zealand for at least six months • you have lived in Australia for a period of at least 12 months between the ages of 20 and 65, including six continuous months • you have lived in New Zealand for at least 10 years since you turned 20, with five years since the age of 50 (you can use time spent living in Australia to count towards this) • you have the necessary service and disability qualifications (for Veteran’s Pension).’

You can also contact Work and income International Services on 1800 150 479

I have visited New Zealand repeatedly, always for at least a month at the time. It’s a country where I love to spend time. Now, as my retirement approaches, I checked under what conditions I would be able to retire there. I have no family links to New Zealand.

However, the conditions that I would have to meet to retire in New Zealand are prohibitive. I don’t quite have that kind of money, and even if I had, I would never accept these conditions, just because they are both outrageous and silly.

I mean, what is the concern of any country when it accepts foreign retirees? The potential costs of medical treatment and care. Of course, there are insurances for that! In the country where I live now, Switzerland, they even have comprehensive insurances that cover the costs in foreign countries. I would of course be happy to pay for this (even though it IS expensive). I would also be prepared to put, say, 100.000 dollars into an account that I cannot touch, for “emergencies”. I would even think it okay if I had to buy my own home within 6 months of arriving in New Zealand.

Retirees like me just spend money, money they get from abroad. They don’t take anyone’s job. Isn’t that a pretty good deal already? Why should I be foced to invest 750.000 dollars into something I probably would never invest into otherwise? AND have another half million at hand, just in case?

I won’t retire in New Zealand. The conditions are undignified, and I am not stinkingly rich.

Hi, Both my wife and I came to New Zealand in 2007 from South Africa. We both got permanent residents, we will apply for citizenship in July 2013. If we moved to Australia will we be able to get retirement income from New Zealand, if we retire?

Hi Danie, There is a social security agreement between New Zealand and Australia that determines your entitlement to NZ Super and the Australian Age pension. In general, if you move to Australia, you may get payments from both New Zealand and Australia. The total amount you receive will be similar to the amount you would have received had you spent all your life in Australia.

Regarding NZ Super, Work and Income say:

‘Can I receive New Zealand Superannuation?

You may be able to receive this in Australia if: • you meet the New Zealand criteria (except being ordinarily resident in New Zealand) • you have been resident and present in New Zealand for more than 10 years since the age of 20 with five years since the age of 50 (you can use time spent living in Australia to count towards this) • you have lived in New Zealand or Australia continuously for one year since age 20 • you are an Australian resident (generally, this means that you must intend to remain in Australia for at least one year or have been living in Australia for at least 26 weeks) • you are in New Zealand or Australia when you apply • you are 65 or over’

For more information, you can contact Work and Income International Services on 0800 777 227

Hi, my wife and i have worked in Aussie for the last 12 years and have 3.5 years left until i turn 60,Which is when i wanted to retire??We still own a house in NZ and plan on building another to retire in and sell the other,My question is do we have to live in NZ for five years and self fund for those years until i reach 65,We do have super put away and have a son still there,We are not Citizens or residents of Aussie as we were to late for the cut off but Kiwis.Or can i still work in Aussie as FIFO but live in NZ and that counts as part of the 5 years,

As you are a Kiwi you are likely to qualify for NZ Super when you reach 65 if you are living in NZ at that time.

NZ rules say that you must have lived in NZ for 5 years since the age of 50 to qualify for NZ Super. However because there is a social security agreement between NZ and Australia, time spent in Australia counts towards this.

The terms of the agreement mean that the total amount you receive will generally be similar to the amount you would have received if you had spent all your life in New Zealand.

From WINZ:

You may get New Zealand Superannuation if you: • are aged 65 or over • are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident • normally live in New Zealand at the time you apply. You must also have lived in New Zealand for at least 10 years since you turned 20. Five of those years must be since you turned 50.

Time spent overseas in certain countries and for certain reasons may be counted for New Zealand Superannuation

You can contact Work and Income on 1800 150 479 for specific information tailored to your circumstances.

My mother was born in NZ and was an NZ citizen and our family there since 1820, my parents met during the war and i was born in america, but my sister was born in NZ, I had lived as a child there for over 9 years and would like to retire there with my wife (she is an american also) we are financially secure and I have much family there. But we do not meet the finical requirements, we have savings of almost 3/4 million u.s. and income producing property here as well as stocks and SS. Over 4K a month. Is it possible for us to retire there?

It is good that you mentioned “citizenship by descent” to Tim. He should be able to get it, though perhaps the long delay since he was born may be a difficulty.

My wife was born in NZ, and went to the US when she married an American naval officer in the 1960s. All her children (4) were born in the US, and she arranged for them to all be NZ citizens by descent, and even her first grandchild. This is a real boon, as the children can get NZ passports. When they come to NZ, they are free to do whatever any other NZ citizen can do, including retire. Of course they still have to meet the 10-year residency requirements to collect the NZ pension.

By virtue of my wife being a citizen, I was able to retire to NZ with her, and did not have to put up with any of the financial requirements silliness. So if Tim can claim his citizenship by descent, he can easily bring his American wife with him. After 5 years she may decide to become a NZ citizen also.

I have lived in NZ for 12 years, UK born but have citizenship here. My father who is 70 this year and lives in the UK is looking to move here as he is now single. He has UK and private pensions which I am assuming he can still receive here? His main concern is how much the health system will cost him here compared to the UK and if he can afford to move. I have been trying to find out if this is comparable regarding health and pensions but have found no joy. Can you clarify for me please? Thankyou in advance.

I am a NZ citizen aged 71, married to an Australian in 1965, and have lived in Australia since. I am now single and am returning to NZ to live in Marlborough where I grew up, having purchased a property and become a ratepayer since July 2013. I shall return to NZ as soon as I have sold my property here, which is currently on the market. Centrelink has revised my (joint Social Security agreement) pension accordingly, and as of 9/10/2013, I have been notified today, I will receive a monthly payment of $17.73. Please advise my position henceforth regarding a NZ pension, and/or any action I should take?. Many thanks.

Australians moving to New Zealand will generally qualify for a NZ Super pension as there is a social security agreement between the two countries. Time spent in Australia will ‘count’ towards the number of NZ resident years required to qualify for NZ Super.

The social security agreement between Australia and New Zealand says:

‘If you live in New Zealand or intend to, you may qualify for a benefit or pension from both New Zealand and Australia.

Once your applications are processed, you may be paid benefits or pensions made up of payments from both New Zealand and Australia eg what you are paid may be made up of an Australian Age Pension and a New Zealand Superannuation payment.

When this happens the total amount you receive will generally be similar to the amount you would have received if you had spent all your life in New Zealand.’

You can contact Work and Income Senior Services International on 1800 150 479 who are able to advise you in detail on your entitlements when you return to New Zealand.

My family are NZ citizens working in Australia, we have been citizens in New Zealand since 2009. When we return to NZ to retire, we still have a son and a house in NZ, will we be able to get pensions and/or any other allowances?

My husband and I are New Zealander’s who have been working overseas for the past 20 years in Hong Kong and Thailand. We plan to retire to NZ in about 18 months. We will be 61 and and 63 years old. We realize we have to live in NZ 5 years before we are eligible to receive the pension. Question 1: During the 5 years as a resident, is there a rule to the amount of days, weeks, or months are we able to leave NZ for holidays during a year? Question 2: Can one or both of us leave NZ during the 5 years for say 2 months and work? Would this 2 months be added to the 5 years? Thanks, Jeanette

Hi I immigrated to New Zealand (6 years old) in 1967 with my parents, I am a New Zealand citizen, schooled and worked in New Zealand until 1986, left for Australia in 1986 and have worked here since. I am married to a New Zealander own property in New Zealand and want to purchase another property. We wish to return to New Zealand in 2020 at age 60. Would I qualify for the Pension at age 65 and any benefits entitled. I would assume that since the age of 20 I had lived in NZ for 5 years and return at age 60 would count the 5 years from 60 to 65 add up to the 10 years and that the 5 years from 60 to 65 count for the 5 years after 50? Thanks, Jeff.

Hi Gory, You may be entitled to a NZ Pension if you retire in New Zealand. Generally speaking your state pension is likely to be made up partly from the Australian Age Pension and partly from NZ Super. When this happens the total amount you receive will generally be similar to the amount you would have received if you had spent all your life in New Zealand. You can read more about it here.

New Zealand Work and Income provide information about qualifying for NZ Super when you are living overseas. They have an International Services team that specialises in paying New Zealand benefits and pensions overseas. You can contact them on Ph: + 64 4 978 1180 or visit their website for full contact details.

I was born in The Netherlands and immigrated to NZ in 1975 and was granted permanent residency and so have worked in the past 39 years. I am will be 65y in three years time. Am I entitled to a NZ pension or is it a dutch one and what about my wife whom is a NZer?. Heard she will be penalised due to me still being a dutch citizen and wont recieve her full NZ entitlement. Is this true?

My husband, 53, was born in NZ and moved to Australia at age of 5. We are planning to move to NZ to live for rest of life. As we understood that we may get New Zealand Superannuation at age of 65 with 10 years living in NZ. Do you account our living years in Australia? We cannot get Australian Pension due to assets test. Your reply will help us to plan our moveing. Many thanks Lucy

I am a 59 yo originally from the UK, living in NZ for the last 14 years but a NZ citizen for the last 10. I am entitled to full UK state pension which i believe will be taken off any NZ Superannuation. I also have a NHS pension starting next year of approx $10,000 pa and a lump sum of x3 annual pension amount. Transfer value is around $220,000. I am unsure what tax i would be paying if i either transfer it or not and get monthly payments?

NZ Inland Revenue offers general tax advice for people receiving overseas pensions., The IR257 booklet ‘Overseas Pensions and Annuity Schemes’ can be download from their website or you can call 0800 257 773 to request a copy.

As always, if there’s money at stake, advice from an independent financial specialist may prove useful.

There may also be people in your situation on the ENZ forum who would be able to give you an answer.

I am a new Zealander living in Australia, for the last 5 years, but looking to go back to NZ in the next few years. I want to start an income stream using my Australian Super when I head back home. Will this income from my super be taxed in NZ though it wont be by the ATO (I wont be working in NZ hopefully)?.Also will my years in Australia count towards qualifying for a NZ pension when I am 65.

NZ Inland Revenue offers general tax advice for people receiving overseas pensions., The IR258 booklet ‘Overseas Social Security pensions’ can be download from their website or you can call 0800 257 773 to request a copy.

It says ‘If you receive an Australian social security pension that wouldn’t have been taxable in Australia had you received it while still resident there, then it’s exempt in New Zealand and you don’t need to include it in your New Zealand tax return.’

You may want to get some specific tailored tax advice about your situation.

There may also be people in your situation on the ENZ forum who would be able to give you an answer.

Your years spent in Australia will usually count towards the NZ Super, though generally the total amount (of pension) you get from both countries (New Zealand and Australia) will be no more than if you had lived in New Zealand all your working life.

I am a NZ resident who has worked in NZ and paid tax continually since the late 1970’s. Prior to then – for a period of about 8 years i lived and worked internationally – mainly in the UK and South Africa. Given it was so long ago i have no records of what i earned or what tax i paid. I understand that when i apply for NZ superannuation i have to declare that i have worked over seas – which i am happy to do. But will the lack of records on my earnings and tax be counted against me in the superannuation i receive?

Your years spent overseas in the early 1970’s will probably not be relevant for qualifying.

The main requirements for qualifying for NZ Super are listed below. My understanding is that there is no pro rata division of NZ Super depending on the years you have worked/lived in NZ – if you qualify under the rules below you receive the full amount of Super.

‘You may be able to get New Zealand Superannuation if you: • are aged 65 or over • are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident • normally live in New Zealand at the time you apply.

You must also have lived in New Zealand for at least 10 years since you turned 20. Five of those years must be since you turned 50. ‘

Hello, I was born, grew up and worked in the UK, emigrating to New Zealand in 1979 aged 29. I was granted permanent New Zealand residence then Citizenship a few years later and was a resident until 1998,. I have more than the 10 years residency in New Zealand that could qualify me for New Zealand Superannuation but have been living and working in the United States since then. I believe that I may be eligible for a UK State Pension and my residence and contributions there might be used for the over 50 requirement for NZ. Can I receive New Zealand Superannuation while living in the US or would I need to return to NZ or the UK to qualify? Are there other requirements that I would need to meet to be eligible?

There is currently no social security arrangement with the USA and New Zealand so you’ll need to meet the standard rules for getting a New Zealand benefit or pension. These are: You may be able to get New Zealand Superannuation if you: • are aged 65 or over • are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident • normally live in New Zealand at the time you apply.

You must also have lived in New Zealand for at least 10 years since you turned 20. Five of those years must be since you turned 50.